Bailey Day 4

The knitting machine broke yesterday. I didn't get the partial repeat from Sunday night finished. I helped Beth in her warehouse-we got lots of boxes shipped out. Then I had to do my HST return. Don't want to keep the government waiting for their money. Dinner then a trip to see the parents. Mom has been having computer problems but I think that is fixed. A bit of knitting and then bed.

I thought that there would be knitting time today but now I don't think so. The 8am phone call changed that. When can someone be at the storage unit? The truck driver is sitting there with 17 boxes of madelinetosh. I wasn't dressed so Beth ran. She is on her way back to the house with a few boxes for me to start unpacking. I think she is going to try and bring boxes of merino light. Happy Dance at the Needle Emporium today.

It's a bit later and I'm at the store unpacking boxes (I could only get four into my truck-more tomorrow) and updating the website. The fun part is trying to find where I am going to put it all. I'm getting very creative. Here is what I have found so far.

merino light

• flashdance
• cousteau
• cathedral
• duchess
• amber trinket
• mourning dove
• french grey
• byzantine
• antique lace
• denim
• lolita
• vanilla bean
• manor
• nebula
• fragrant
• volga
• william morris
• rosewood
• tern
• worn denim
• terrarium
• manor
• thyme
• celadon
• stovepipe
• clematis
• ruby slipper
• composition book grey
• silver fox

lace

• cathedral

prairie

• logwood

Finding room for yarn is bad for me (because there is no room in the store) but good for you. I have boxed up more yarn for the Tent Sale.

I thought that after the four boxes of tosh were put away I might get to knit. Not. Mr. Canpar walked in with six boxes of Debbie Bliss and Sirdar.

Winter Garden-the book and yarn have arrived. I will be knitting with this yarn very soon.

$18.95 a skein
100grams
100m
30% merino wool
30% baby llama
20% silk
20% linen

10 stitches =4" on 9mm needles

We have a new store in Ancaster called ECS Coffee Inc. It is on Wilson Street (the other end of town from us) near the Walmart. I was there yesterday and bought tea pods for my Kuerig. People tell me that their prices are better than anywhere else. I don't know about that but their selection is amazing. Lots of tea that I haven't seen anywhere else. You can buy individual pods which makes it great for trying flavours. You don't have to buy 12 or 24 and find that you don't like it.

There are five boxes to be unpacked. I better hit Publish and get back to work.

Tent Sale

We have added another day to the sale.

Monday August 27 4-8pm
Tuesday August 28 noon-8pm
Wednesday August 29 10am-2pm

Ancaster Fairgrounds

Trinity Road is also known as Hwy 52
Wilson St is also known as Hwy 2

Easy access from Hwy 403

Pricing
Balls up to 50grams $3
Balls 51-100grams $6
Balls 101grams-200 grams $9

Yarns include odd balls, discontinued yarns and yarns that we are clearing out

You will find yarns from

• Rowan
• Debbie Bliss
• Noro
• Sirdar
• Naturally
• many, many more

We are continually going through the store and seeing if there are yarns that need to be cleared to make room for new, exciting yarns for fall.

Bailey Day 3

I was a knitting machine yesterday. The back of Bailey is done!! Beth told me to slow down. Not a chance. The problem is that there isn't as much time to knit during the week as there is on weekends-a small thing called work gets in the way. If I get it done early then I might join another category-maybe something to do with finishing projects that are lying around the house.

I guess if I'm going to say that I did this then I will have to sew in my own ends.

The ribbing on the front is cast on and I am half way through the first pattern repeat.

Jane has started her knitting on the Jubilee Throw. It is knit in Rowan Felted Tweed.

Here is square one done. Has not been blocked or the ends sewn in yet. I always use a hi liner to mark off the rows as I finish That way I can see what was on the previous row as well as seeing the row I'm working on. Just keep it on a clip board beside me.  I also put the wool I am currently using in a zip lock baggie. That way I'm not hunting through my whole bag of wool. 

So block one is done and 23 more to go

It looks great. Jane is going to continue sending pictures as she goes.

Much of yesterday was spent watching the Olympics. The white water canoeing and kayaking is great to watch (it's on my TV again today as I am writing). Talk about upper body strength. I'm saving the gymnastics and swimming until tonight. Hopefully I don't see the results until we watch.

Bailey Day 2

Yesterday was a very productive knitting day!!

Two and a half repeats are done.
Three and a half balls are knit. Twelve and a half balls to go.

For some reason I woke up early this morning (could be the nap I had yesterday) and the Olympic coverage of the ladies road race is on. Go Clara!!

There is a new Cashmerino Baby book coming this fall. I found these pictures on Debbie Bliss' Facebook page.

Thirteen bright knits for babies and children

There are four new colours of Cashmerino Baby coming as well.

My phone is charged (so I can track my rows) and it's time to sign off and watch the Olympics.

Bailey Day One

The Opening Ceremonies were great. Rowan Atkinson - I couldn't stop laughing. I watched in the store and Beth taped it so that I could watch again at home. I missed a few things in the store like David Beckham driving the boat that was carrying the torch. No one wants to miss David Beckham.

My sweater is coming along.

Bailey from Rowan #52
Knit in Drift

One cable repeat is almost done and I am one and a half balls in. It would be a lot further if I hadn't turned one cable wrong. Thankfully it was only five rows down and I hadn't turned another cable over it. I dropped the stitches down, re twisted the cable and latched the stitches back up. Beth pipes up "Don't you know about Gladys Knight and the Pips?" HUH?? It has something to do with Fiona Ellis' cable class. I know that Beth is listening while at Camp.

I didn't make it up early this morning. I'm getting too old to do that and then work all day. :) I'm in the store now but need someone to flip channels for me so I don't have to put down my knitting. 

To keep track of everything I am using the Vogue Knitting App on my iPhone.

It's much later in the day. I came home from work and had a nap. I think I'm still recuperating from my vacation. :)

I took this before leaving the store. Two pattern repeats (48 rows) and the third ball is almost done. Beth has gone to pick up pizza because there is no time to cook. Olympic coverage is starting again soon and in my dreams another ball will be knit tonight.

I know that some of you won't be able to see events live so I won't talk about anything that happens during the day while I am watching. If something amazing happens I will wait until the next day to comment.

I better get plates on the table. It's the least I can do. Have a great evening-hopefully knitting needles are in your hands.

The Big Day

I'm up early today. The house is tidied (the cleaning ladies are coming today) and I thought I would get a jump on my blog post. There is a lot of knitting planned for this afternoon. Clue #3 to the Mystery Shawl arrived and Clue #2 isn't done. A few rows were done last night but not nearly enough. Some people have already posted pictures of Clue #3 on Ravelry. I want to get knitting!!

My family loves watching the Olympics. Thankfully this one is a somewhat reasonable time zone. Getting up at 3 in the morning to watch events live really messes with your sleep pattern. For the next two weeks the TV in the store will be tuned it to watch.

Namaste's Oh Snaps are coming in eggplant.

A divinely simple way to keep your stuff in its right place- the Oh Snap! pouches come in a set of 3 to bring the Zen back to your life (and your handbag). Whether you're a tidy two-shoes or a messy marvin, Oh Snap! keeps it all together for you. Customized Namaste snaps, carefully crafted mesh pouches, it's effortless organization- Oh Snap!

COLORS:
Charcoal Gray, Eggplant (Available August 2012), Light Pink

MATERIAL:
Mesh

SIZES:
Sold in set of 3:
Small: 6.5"L x 1" W x 4" H
Medium: 9" L x 1.25" W x 7" H
Large: 10" L x 2" W x 8" H

Also Sold in set of 2:
XL: 14" L x 2" W x 10" H
XXL: 15.5" L x 2" W x 13" H

We have grey in the store and eggplant should be arriving with the new bags sometime in the next two weeks.

Before leaving for work I took a picture of the Mystery Shawl. This one shows the pattern much better than yesterday's post.

Just an hour until cast on time. I have a bad feeling about starting. I have been known to start a sweater on a Friday night and knit all night. It makes for a long Saturday in the store. If I'm looking tired tomorrow you will know why.

Let's redo last night

Yesterday was a great day in the store. Lots of chores were accomplished including updates to the website. Then on the way home I started to get a headache. The weather was changing. I had a nap and when I woke up Beth had dinner ready. Who can complain about that? Then we moved upstairs to watch TV. This is where things started to go downhill.

Three rows of Clue #2 were done but I wasn't happy. The pattern said to pick up 162 stitches and I only got 161. I figured I could fudge it later but it was bothering me so last night while watching Big Brother I ripped it back and started picking up stitches again. All picked up and 161. Now I was mad and frustrated. I took a look on Ravelry and saw that I wasn't picking up the stitches correctly. Let's rip out and try again. The next time I got 162 stitches. It looks better and I am happy. Row 10 is complete. 46 rows to go before tomorrow morning. :)

It was raining as I was taking this so I couldn't
make it lay out nicely.

Something woke me at 2:30 and then I heard a thud. Melo jumped off Beth's bed and came down to see me. Thunder and lightening. He gets so upset. I was good company for about half an hour and then he went and got Beth. She sat up with him (with the TV blaring so he couldn't hear the thunder) for an hour. There wasn't much sleep for me last night.

Mr. Canada Post brought more yarn today. Lace from Freia Fibers.

This is a blend of 75% wool from Colorado spun with 25% nylon for added strength. Our lightweight, soft lace yarn is a super wash but we recommend hand washing for longevity.

75 gram ball
589 m/645 yards

The colours are bright and cheerful.

One ball will make the Sonoma Lace Scarf.

Don't forget that tomorrow is the big day. I had the time wrong for opening ceremonies. It is 4pm in Ancaster.

My needles and yarn are sitting on the table waiting to start.

Wow did we miss a lot on Big Brother. Willie being booted from the house. What a shocker. I'm not sure that I like the team thing going on this season. I hope they mix it up soon. I have some errands to run tonight and then home to watch TV and knit. There is a lot of knitting that needs to be done over the next two weeks. Am I really going to get my shawl and a sweater finished?

Lush Cowl

The box from Prism has been opened and the yarns are beautiful.

Prism Neat Stuff in the new Layers colours.

Neat Stuff is composed of 30-40 different hand dyed, gauge coordinated yarns. They are tied together end to end by hand, so that as you knit the texture and colors are always changing. Neat Stuff has no eyelash, metallic, or other yarns that some might consider “over the top”, and is suitable for men's wear as well as tailored women's wear. Like all Stuffs, a larger needle can be used for a more open fabric in ponchos, wraps and scarves. We have successfully worked on as large as a #11 needle. Neat Stuff is interchangeable with Cool and Wild Stuff.

Layers colors are made through a multi-step process that produces subtly varied colors that do not pool or stripe. Composed of multiple parents, the colors reveal both parents and multiple blends. 

Plume

An incredibly soft, luxurious fur substitute, Plume is made even more wonderful through our special finishing process. We love it best used as an accent on a flatter yarn, where it has the appearance of real fur. Cuffs, collars, cowls, scarves: Plume will be your new best friend! Plume can be substituted for Fern, which has been discontinued. 

Some colours are on back order and I will find out tomorrow when they will be available. The Hibiscus Plume is also coming in Neat Stuff and the purple Neat Stuff (which doesn't show in the picture but is in the basket) is coming in Plume.

From Laura

A generous cowl with subtle shaping offers several styling options. Wear it down on your shoulders, or on one shoulder as above. Drape loosely around your neck for dramatic effect. Double up and stack all that luscious texture for a column of colour. Main body is a full skein of Wild, Cool or Neat Stuff. Two skeins of Plume create a deep, rich fur edge. I want one in every colour, how about you?

Laura was wearing this at TNNA and it is fabulous. We have some earthy colours of Plume and Stuff in stock right now as well if you want your cowl to be a little less flashy.

I can't wait for the purple Plume to arrive because I need the cowl in purple to go with a pair of purple boots that I own.

A box arrived from Blue Sky Alpacas as well. We are well stocked on Metalico again.

50% baby alpaca / 50% mulberry silk

Luxury as nature intended, Metalico utilizes naturally occurring shades of baby alpaca blended with mulberry silk, and creates an undyed shimmering palette from gleaming whites to silvery grays and flecked golds. Colorways provided by nature, shiny braids provided by Blue Sky Alpacas!

details

• Weight: 50 grams
• Approx: 147 yards / 135 meters
• Needle Size: 3-5 US / 3.25-3.75 mm
• Gauge: 5-6 sts/inch or 2.5 cm

Jane is about to embark on a huge project. This is what I want to call "Jane Knitting". The more colours the better for Jane. Many of the squares are patterns that she has used in sweaters. The Jubilee throw by Kaffe Fassett. The pattern is from Rowan's website.

I think I have accomplished more knitting since being home than I did while I was away. Clue #1 is finished and three rows of Clue #2 are done. It's squashed on a circular needle right now. When I get some more rows done it will photograph better.

We missed Big Brother on Sunday night so it will be interesting to see who was nominated for eviction when we watch tonight.  More knitting time. :)

Reconsidering

Monday afternoon

It is hot in Canada. The weather in Myrtle Beach was definitely cooler than this. It doesn't help that the front and back doors are propped open to let the paint dry. We turned the air conditioning off and our house is really, really hot.

I ran to the store earlier. I couldn't wait until tomorrow to see the work that Cathy had done and to pick up the new Rowan magazine.

Cathy is a bit of a neat freak. Behind the cash desk was a nightmare. She spent a couple of days and totally cleaned it out. You can walk back there. You can find things. Everything is neatly arranged. I'm thinking of having her come to my house and do my closet. She is amazing!!

The new magazine isn't that nice. :) It is amazing. There are many garments that I need.

Two new colours of Felted Tweed. The purple/fuchsia on the right is a big colour in Rowan's line this fall. It is available in almost every yarn. I'm not complaining-what a beautiful colour.

There are three new colours of Drift including the purple/fuchsia.

I'm started to rethink my Olympic knitting. There is no way that I can finish Tiree in two weeks. I don't think Wannietta could get it done in that time. Maybe a sweater in Drift might be a better option. 

Bailey might be it. The pattern is in the magazine in men's and women's sizes or you can download it from Rowan's website.

Knit this women's cable sweater from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 52, a design by Marie Wallin using the ever popular yarns Big Wool and Drift (merino wool). With a drop shoulder, straight cast-off sleeves and colour block detail, this knitting pattern is for the intermediate knitter.

I'm not sure I would use the Big Wool in my sweater but would make it totally out of Drift. Leaving out the intarsia will make the knitting go faster and I think the sweater will look great in one colour.

Knit this men's cable sweater from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 52 online, a design by Marie Wallin using the ever popular yarns Big Wool and Drift (merino wool). With a drop shoulder, straight cast-off sleeves and colour block detail, this knitting pattern is for the intermediate knitter and is a free pattern to download.

Mom has been having problems with the TV in her sewing room. Beth went to pick up the dogs and mom asked her to see if she can make it work. Mom had called the cable company and the guy who came out was less than helpful. Beth thinks she has it going but has to wait 45 minutes for the box to reset. I was going to nap but there is no sense laying down when the dogs will be coming home-I will have two of them standing on top of me. I did some updating of the website getting some of the new Rowan yarns up and then decided to start on tomorrow's post. There wasn't much knitting content while I was away and I'm going to do better this week.

Tuesday

I have studied the Rowan Drift and Bailey will be the Olympic sweater in 913 Vintage Rose. My fingers are itching to cast on but I can't until 2pm on Friday.

I had a bit of a scare when I came to work this morning-the TV wasn't working. If all else fails unplug everything and try again. This didn't work. I was freaking out. The Olympics are starting and I wouldn't be able to watch on TV. Finally I tried hitting the power button on the dish converter. IT WORKS! I am so happy.

Last night I got some knitting done on the Mystery Shawl. Clue #1 is almost done. 29 repeats-3 to go.

A newsletter just went out and should be in your In Box very soon. Now it's time to unpack the box that Mr. Canada Post just brought from Prism.

Kate's Coming

Kate Atherley (aka wisehilda) will be back with us on Saturday, August 18 to teach two workshops

Entrelac (3 hours 10am-1pm) $40

Entrelac is one of the most beautiful and mystifying of knitterly arts! We'll teach you everything you need to know to create your own one-of-a-kind hat and scarf set, and along the way improve your skills with some new techniques for increasing, decreasing and picking up stitches.

Class Details
We begin with a practice piece of entrelac, worked with scrap yarn, and then once knitters are confident with the pattern, I will get them started on the hat & scarf set.

Skill Level
advanced beginner - knitters need to be proficient with knit, purl

Materials
scraps of worsted or aran weight yarn & 4.5mm needles (straight or short circular)

Optional
4 balls Noro Silk Garden or Kureyon if you want to start on the hat and scarf set

Finishing (2 hours 2-4pm) $30

This two-hour workshop teaches all the key skills for assembling and finishing your knitting projects: seaming (including grafting), picking up stitches for necklines, weaving in ends, and the advantages and disadvantages of various cast-off techniques. The focus will be very much on making finishing as quick and painless as possible – we’ll share all the cheats and shortcuts we know. We’ll also demystify blocking, and talk about the proper care of your knits.

Kate will be covering cover seaming - mattress stitch, invisible horizontal, and invisible vertical-to-horizontal for setting in sleeves; three needle bind-off and grafting - how and also where and where not to use them. I demo picking up stitches and weaving in ends, and talk about blocking - how and why. I provide expert tips like how to cast off best for easy finishing (loosely, in pattern), how and when to modify patterns to reduce finishing (working the body of a sweater in the round, for example), and how to reduce the stress (e.g. put the shoulders together and work the neckline before you work the sleeve - actually helps you better fit the sleeves).

Homework
Two 4 inch squares of stocking stitch worked with 4 or 5mm needles and worsted weight yarn; scrap worsted weight yarn in a constrating colour.

Materials
bring any projects that need finishing, homework swatches, and a blunt-tipped darning needle


Please note:
Class size is limited
You must pay the class fee in advance, either in person or over the phone
Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Home again

I'm home. Tired but home. We pulled in our driveway around 3 this morning. Once we started driving I was feeling good so we went straight though. Beth drove about 4 hours and I drove the rest.

Part way home Beth made a comment about seeing our house and the new paint. I totally forgot. We asked my dad how it looked and he said that the main house looked great but my room only looked fine. He is a bit colour blind and I don't think he can see the colour in my room. It looks great. I am so happy with it.

It is a dark purple grey. My bathroom is another story. I thought it was going to be a darker colour than it came out. It is a really light grey but I will learn to like it.

There was a note on the kitchen counter that the front doors in our complex are being painted this week. Someone has to be home for a few hours so that the paint can dry. Beth ran out and found someone and they said that they would stop by in an hour. Time for me to run and get breakfast (there is nothing in our house) but they came right away. I really need a tea.

Here are a few pictures of new things coming from Namaste in August.

Coming in August- the Better Buddy! Sleeker shape, stronger magnets, and new colors. Yay!

I've talked about this bag before but after taking it on vacation I am very excited that we will have it in the store. I had two MacBooks, my knitting and my iPad in the bag with room to spare.

The all-new Harlow bag is vintage inspired, constructed of luscious vegan material and offers ultra organization and serious style. Features include microsuede recycled lining, loads of exterior compartments & pockets (2 drink compartments, 2 flap top pockets, 1 fiber-friendly pocket, 1 zipper pocket), strap buddy for shoulder strap placement, and dual detachable handles for added versatility. Interior has a zippered top and features 2 open top pockets, 1 zipper pocket and plenty of space for activities! Available August 2012! 

I have lots of chores to do today once Beth gets home - we can't close the door because the paint is wet.  I can't wait to see the new Rowan magazine and yarns. There were a few things missing from the shipment including a mini magazine so I need to get on the phone and have them ship it asap. Hopefully I will get some knitting done as well.

Heading Home

It's just after 9. We are just waiting for the towels to dry and then we will hit the road. Lynda is a bit of a clean freak and the house is in order.

Golf is on the TV and we will be listening to it on the way home. Yes, you read that right. We will be listening to golf. We can't sit here until it's over but we need to know who is winning.

The truck is packed (including my computer) so I am writing on my iPad. I hope this formats okay.

Nancy planted these on the front of our house last summer. They have flourished in the hot Myrtle Beach weather.

I love the little purple flowers.

Have a good Sunday afternoon-I hope you are sitting and knitting.

Clue #2

I have started writing this post many times and keep deleting it. So much so that I didn't end up posting yesterday. There isn't much to tell. We are having a great time. Beth and I golfed yesterday afternoon with some friends from Canada who happened to be here the same week as us. Golf was very slow and when we got home I barbecued steak and potatoes. It was time to see if the barbecue actually worked. This was the first meal we cooked in the house. This morning we golfed with my dad's Saturday morning golf group. That started way to early. They had a 7am tee time.

My knitting is sitting on coffee table in the living room with no progress. Clue #2 arrived yesterday morning (clue #1 isn't finished yet) so I will have lots of knitting to get done when we get home. I'm not sure why I brought two projects-between golfing and being tourists there wasn't time to knit. I decided to leave the second project here-the Christel Seyfarth shawl is in my closet so I know that I always have a knitting project here.

It is a lot later on Saturday night and we just got home from Pirates Voyage. It is a new show in town-kind of like Medieval Times but it is a pirate show. 

There are sea lions in the show and they
bring them out before the show to do
some tricks.

We had tickets to the 6pm show but the doors open at 4:30 for the pre show. This really means coming early, shopping, having your kids faces painted like pirates and having a drink. 

I took a picture of one of the pirate
ships as we were leaving. You can't
take pictures during the show.

We were afraid that it was going to be really cheesy but once we sat down to the show it was really good. There were many parts like a Cirque du Soliel show which means I would recommend going to see it especially if you have kids. The food was good (and hot)-soup, biscuit, chicken, mashed potatoes, pulled pork and apple turnover. 

We are packing for the drive home tomorrow. Hopefully we will be on the road before noon and will drive until 8 or 9pm. Monday will be a light driving day. It is sad to be leaving. It seems like we just got here. Many things did not get accomplished which means I will have to come back. Twist my arm. :)

Rowan

It's almost bed time. The Open is on (The British Open-a golf tournament) and TV coverage started at 4:30am. I was up to watch and a bit of knitting got accomplished. I have 19 repeats done. I had to rip out two rows last night while watching Big Brother because I did them in the wrong colour. If I keep having to rip it will never get done. I need to hurry because clue #2 comes tomorrow.

This afternoon we went to Broadway at the Beach to go to WonderWorks (the upside down house). Unfortunately the line was huge and they said it would be at least 40 minutes before we could buy our tickets. I don't do lines so we promised Jess that we would take her next summer. She was okay with it when she knew that we were bringing her back again.

Broadway sits on a man made lake that is surrounded by many restaurants and stores.

Very exciting news that gets my knitting content in for today.

There are many new free patterns on Rowan's website. 
You must sign up on Rowan's website to download the patterns. It only takes a couple of seconds. The only emails you will receive from Rowan are monthly newsletters-these are great reading.

See all the free patterns. Just below the pictures click "View All". Once you are registered you can click on the picture and download the PDF of the pattern

Islay

Knit this women's intarsia sweater from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 52 online, a design by Kaffe Fassett using the gorgeous yarn Felted Tweed (merino wool and alpaca). With a drop shoulder, funnel neck and contrasting bands, this knitting pattern is for the experienced knitter and is a free pattern to download.

Bute

Knit this men's fairisle cardigan from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 52 online, a design by Lisa Richardson using the gorgeous yarns Felted Tweed (merino wool and alpaca) and Colourspun, (wool and mohair). With set-in sleeves, V neck detail and optional elbow patches, this knitting pattern is for the intermediate knitter and is a free pattern to download.

Rowan did an amazing job this fall with patterns for men.

Jubilee Throw

Knit this home wares patchwork throw from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 52 online, a design by Kaffe Fassett using the ever popular yarn Felted Tweed (merino wool and alpaca). With a mix of fairisle and intarsia pieces this throw is a showstopper in any home. This knitting pattern is for the experienced knitter and is a free pattern to download.

This is beautiful!! Most of the patterns I recognize from previous Kaffe garments but there are a few new ones. His work is truly inspiring!!

So inspiring that I'm going to hit Publish and pick up my needles.